Germany-based boiler manufacturer Standardkessel Baumgarte GmbH (SBG), a subsidiary of Japan-headed JFE Engineering Corporation (JFEE) has revealed that it has formally handed over a biomass-fired combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Scotland to the client, Speyside Renewable Energy Partnership Ltd (SREP).
Located near Craigellachie, Moray the Speyside Renewable Energy Partnership (SREP) combined heat and power (CHP) plant provides heat in the form of steam for the nearby Macallan whisky distillery and electricity to the national grid.
Using woodchips sourced locally from regional forestry operations, the plant generates up to 15 MWe of power and up to 10 MWth of steam to the distillery, which is about 90 percent of the heat needed in Macallan’s distillation process.
Innovative financing structure
The GBP74 million (≈ EUR 94.4 million) project reached financial close in August 2014 and won the 2014 IJ Global European Biomass Award in recognition of the innovative financing structure used. The project issued a bond guaranteed by Infrastructure UK and was the first greenfield renewables development to do so.
Equity was invested by John Laing Group plc and the UK Green Investment Bank plc (now Macquarie Green Investment Group – GIG) with funding also provided by SREP stakeholders including Estover Energy Ltd, Equitix Investment Management Ltd, Cawdor Forestry Ltd, The Macallan Distillers Ltd, and Forestry and Land Scotland, as well GBP48 million (≈ EUR 61.47 million) in bonds guaranteed by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, part of HM Treasury.
Work began on the plant in October 2014 and was substantially completed in 2016. Construction was managed by SBG on contract to SREP and the plant is operated and maintained by BWSC.
SBG used its air-cooled moving grate and boiler technology to give a wide firing range and with only simple fuel pre-treatment. The use of the robust firing and boiler concept ensures high reliability for a continuous generation to meet the requirements of the electricity and heat demand.
After the successful design, supply, construction, and commissioning, as EPC contractor, SBG was able to fulfil all requirements of the authorities and deliver the turnkey plant to the customer for successful operation.
